Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Dr. Joseph Mercola on Natural Health Products and Articles
Dr. Joseph Mercola on Natural Health Products and Articles
I opened my e-mail the other day to this article sent by my mother, an avid health advocate. The article talks about the dangers of Agave Nectar, a natural syrup used by many as a sugar replacement. The sweet syrup comes from the Agave plant, a desert plant that grows in the Southern U.S. as well as Mexico, Central and South America.
I had been using this syrup in my baked goods ever since my sister mentioned the product to me several years ago. I've baked with it and used it as a maple syrup replacement. It is a delicious, natural product that I have kept in stock since learning about it.
The article, written by Dr. Mercola, notes 7 reasons why NOT to buy/use agave nectar as a sugar replacement, its high fructose content listed as number 1. He then lists several other reasons: The syrup we buy in stores is highly processed, it may be a highly sprayed crop, it has no nutritional value...et cetera.
What I was motivated to write about, is this: How can we, as consumers, use a product for years, believing that there is nothing better to buy, and that it's without a doubt one of the healthiest choices, when in fact, it's the complete opposite?
There's something wrong with this picture. Where are we getting our information from? Who should we trust when it comes to what we put into our bodies, what is "tried and true", and what is healthy?
If you rely only on Internet doctors and their articles, you will be misinformed.
If you rely only on what your neighbor tells you that she thinks is "the best out there", you will be misinformed.
And If you follow the same traditions that your mother has been using for her entire life, you may very well be misinformed.
There's only one person you can trust in this case, and that's yourself.
I opened my e-mail the other day to this article sent by my mother, an avid health advocate. The article talks about the dangers of Agave Nectar, a natural syrup used by many as a sugar replacement. The sweet syrup comes from the Agave plant, a desert plant that grows in the Southern U.S. as well as Mexico, Central and South America.
I had been using this syrup in my baked goods ever since my sister mentioned the product to me several years ago. I've baked with it and used it as a maple syrup replacement. It is a delicious, natural product that I have kept in stock since learning about it.
The article, written by Dr. Mercola, notes 7 reasons why NOT to buy/use agave nectar as a sugar replacement, its high fructose content listed as number 1. He then lists several other reasons: The syrup we buy in stores is highly processed, it may be a highly sprayed crop, it has no nutritional value...et cetera.
What I was motivated to write about, is this: How can we, as consumers, use a product for years, believing that there is nothing better to buy, and that it's without a doubt one of the healthiest choices, when in fact, it's the complete opposite?
There's something wrong with this picture. Where are we getting our information from? Who should we trust when it comes to what we put into our bodies, what is "tried and true", and what is healthy?
If you rely only on Internet doctors and their articles, you will be misinformed.
If you rely only on what your neighbor tells you that she thinks is "the best out there", you will be misinformed.
And If you follow the same traditions that your mother has been using for her entire life, you may very well be misinformed.
There's only one person you can trust in this case, and that's yourself.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
pensées.
J'attends toujours des bonnes nouvelles.
Ça fait trop de temps que je n'ai pas entendu quelque chose de vraiment bon.
Ça pourrait être un e-mail de lui, une lettre ou même juste un petit mot...pour me dire qu'il m'aime.
Est-ce trop à demander?
Ça pourrait aussi un 'oui' qui vient de l'un des universités auxquelles je me suis postulée il y a quelque temps.
Aujourd'hui, j'ai reçu un 'non'. J'attends un réponse de trois autres universités.
Au moins, demain sera un voyage. Je vais à Nice pour voir une copine qui étudie la musique là bas.
Je ne resterai plus que deux nuits, donc je vais essayer de m'amuser bien.
La bande dessinée que j'ai lu cet après-midi m'a vraiment frappé.
Elle racontait une histoire d'un vieux homme qui a attrapé la maladie Alzheimer.
Il a très vite perdu sa mémoire, et l'écrivain a même dessiné des visages comblées et flous à la fin de l'histoire, pour que l'on pourrait essayer d'apercevoir les effets d'Alzheimer chez le personnage principal.
Ça m'a rendu un peu triste et j'avais envie de faire des choses de nouveau pour mieux vivre ma vie, pleinement.
Maintenant, les choses passent très lentement.
Il faut que je trouve un moyen de passer mon temps et de me distraire un peu.
Ça fait trop de temps que je n'ai pas entendu quelque chose de vraiment bon.
Ça pourrait être un e-mail de lui, une lettre ou même juste un petit mot...pour me dire qu'il m'aime.
Est-ce trop à demander?
Ça pourrait aussi un 'oui' qui vient de l'un des universités auxquelles je me suis postulée il y a quelque temps.
Aujourd'hui, j'ai reçu un 'non'. J'attends un réponse de trois autres universités.
Au moins, demain sera un voyage. Je vais à Nice pour voir une copine qui étudie la musique là bas.
Je ne resterai plus que deux nuits, donc je vais essayer de m'amuser bien.
La bande dessinée que j'ai lu cet après-midi m'a vraiment frappé.
Elle racontait une histoire d'un vieux homme qui a attrapé la maladie Alzheimer.
Il a très vite perdu sa mémoire, et l'écrivain a même dessiné des visages comblées et flous à la fin de l'histoire, pour que l'on pourrait essayer d'apercevoir les effets d'Alzheimer chez le personnage principal.
Ça m'a rendu un peu triste et j'avais envie de faire des choses de nouveau pour mieux vivre ma vie, pleinement.
Maintenant, les choses passent très lentement.
Il faut que je trouve un moyen de passer mon temps et de me distraire un peu.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Student status.
I wish I were a student again.
I know when I get my Masters I'll be able to achieve that status. There are just so many things I adored about college, I am kind of anxiously waiting to go back, already.
What I miss the most:
1) Sense of belonging
Sure, you can still have a sense of belonging without going to a university or wearing your school colors every day. But walking around the same campus, seeing the same people, and hearing the bells chime your school's alma mater gives you a fuzzy feeling you can't get anywhere but on a campus.
2) People you see every day
They become family. Especially the ones you live with. You share everything with them, the highs and the lows. They keep you from getting too stressed. They're always there, and you know you can call on them if you need help. Familiar faces= more fuzzy feelings.
3) libraries.
I never was without an open, available library around me until I came to France. Sure, there is one small library here, but it's certainly not as large as the ones you'd find on a college campus, where you can bring your lunch and just spend hours reading countless books. And, they're all at your disposition. Come finals, the library becomes your home. And for me, I loved going. It was a quiet "escape" from the rush of everyday life.
4) campus activities
When I was taking 21 credits at the end of my senior year, I'll admit I wasn't as involved in my campus activities. But freshman year brought me the most fun, and filled my schedule with other things besides class: Going to parties, hitting the gym, prayer groups, dinners, football games, shopping trips, the list goes on. You could never not find a group of people willing to go out and do something whenever the cabin fever bug bit.
5) student discounts
(I'm still using them today, almost a year after I graduated). Who can complain? We pay dirt for airline tickets, transportation fees, movie/play tickets, an so on. Even after you're no longer a student, you still get benefits and discounts from being under 25.
6) being around people my age
Again, being in a small town of 4,500 reiterates the fact that there are limited people my age here in France. Clearly, being on a campus you're enveloped by people you can relate to, talk to, grab a coffee with when the mood strikes, play pool at the corner bar...but nowhere else do you have that constant presence of friends, acquaintances, professors that become friends, and so forth.
I suppose this post was necessary after listening to a Harvard lecture online about philosophy. The camera made it feel like you were present in the lecture hall, and the professor was right in front of you. I got a strong sense of longing for that atmosphere. Who knows, maybe if I get my Ph.D. one day, I can work and live in that atmosphere for as long as I choose. But being a student is a time one should cherish, because after that, the real world kicks in and you've got to start paying back those loans, find your own apartment, maybe live with a lot fewer roommates (who might not even be your age), and move to wherever your job takes you. It's inevitable for us, so we should enjoy being a student when we are and not take any of that time for granted.
I know when I get my Masters I'll be able to achieve that status. There are just so many things I adored about college, I am kind of anxiously waiting to go back, already.
What I miss the most:
1) Sense of belonging
Sure, you can still have a sense of belonging without going to a university or wearing your school colors every day. But walking around the same campus, seeing the same people, and hearing the bells chime your school's alma mater gives you a fuzzy feeling you can't get anywhere but on a campus.
2) People you see every day
They become family. Especially the ones you live with. You share everything with them, the highs and the lows. They keep you from getting too stressed. They're always there, and you know you can call on them if you need help. Familiar faces= more fuzzy feelings.
3) libraries.
I never was without an open, available library around me until I came to France. Sure, there is one small library here, but it's certainly not as large as the ones you'd find on a college campus, where you can bring your lunch and just spend hours reading countless books. And, they're all at your disposition. Come finals, the library becomes your home. And for me, I loved going. It was a quiet "escape" from the rush of everyday life.
4) campus activities
When I was taking 21 credits at the end of my senior year, I'll admit I wasn't as involved in my campus activities. But freshman year brought me the most fun, and filled my schedule with other things besides class: Going to parties, hitting the gym, prayer groups, dinners, football games, shopping trips, the list goes on. You could never not find a group of people willing to go out and do something whenever the cabin fever bug bit.
5) student discounts
(I'm still using them today, almost a year after I graduated). Who can complain? We pay dirt for airline tickets, transportation fees, movie/play tickets, an so on. Even after you're no longer a student, you still get benefits and discounts from being under 25.
6) being around people my age
Again, being in a small town of 4,500 reiterates the fact that there are limited people my age here in France. Clearly, being on a campus you're enveloped by people you can relate to, talk to, grab a coffee with when the mood strikes, play pool at the corner bar...but nowhere else do you have that constant presence of friends, acquaintances, professors that become friends, and so forth.
I suppose this post was necessary after listening to a Harvard lecture online about philosophy. The camera made it feel like you were present in the lecture hall, and the professor was right in front of you. I got a strong sense of longing for that atmosphere. Who knows, maybe if I get my Ph.D. one day, I can work and live in that atmosphere for as long as I choose. But being a student is a time one should cherish, because after that, the real world kicks in and you've got to start paying back those loans, find your own apartment, maybe live with a lot fewer roommates (who might not even be your age), and move to wherever your job takes you. It's inevitable for us, so we should enjoy being a student when we are and not take any of that time for granted.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Oh, long-lost journal, I apologize for my time spent away from you.
...It's just that I've had so much going on recently.
Specifically, getting my future plans organized.
While sitting in a modernized presentation of Molière's L'Avare today, I had one of those revelations that, in the back of my mind, doesn't seem to be too far-fetched, but could be quite a lot of work to get together all the same.
What if, supposing there weren't one already, one were to organize a group/troupe of American artists (actors, dancers & singers) that would travel throughout France, (and eventually other countries once the company expands) performing shows in English for a small/reasonable cost to the public as a way of opening up the French culture (and others) to American theatre, all while providing an English lesson as the text (can, but doesn't always have to be) is translated into French and played for the viewers to learn as they watch the show?
If this is already the case, I rest largely uninformed about it. If such a troupe does exist, why haven't I heard of it? I've already done the necessary Google search...I know there are several American theatre companies in Paris/Avignon/probably Bordeaux too...but do they travel? Do they perform for schools? Do they do musicals as well as straight plays? Contemporary and classical?
If not, what a wonder it would be to develop this idea into something real...
The question is, is it feasible?
Specifically, getting my future plans organized.
While sitting in a modernized presentation of Molière's L'Avare today, I had one of those revelations that, in the back of my mind, doesn't seem to be too far-fetched, but could be quite a lot of work to get together all the same.
What if, supposing there weren't one already, one were to organize a group/troupe of American artists (actors, dancers & singers) that would travel throughout France, (and eventually other countries once the company expands) performing shows in English for a small/reasonable cost to the public as a way of opening up the French culture (and others) to American theatre, all while providing an English lesson as the text (can, but doesn't always have to be) is translated into French and played for the viewers to learn as they watch the show?
If this is already the case, I rest largely uninformed about it. If such a troupe does exist, why haven't I heard of it? I've already done the necessary Google search...I know there are several American theatre companies in Paris/Avignon/probably Bordeaux too...but do they travel? Do they perform for schools? Do they do musicals as well as straight plays? Contemporary and classical?
If not, what a wonder it would be to develop this idea into something real...
The question is, is it feasible?
Friday, July 24, 2009
joie de vivre
Work has been getting better.
Or, rather, I have.
I've been able to calm down and focus a lot more now. I don't know what it was, but something in me (the perfectionist? the neurotic?) was always striving to get everything exactly perfect, so much so that when I messed up even a little bit in one area I'd get down on myself.
It might be remnants from when I had a low self-esteem, but I'm able to manage that now more than ever.
I'm reading a book that Chris recommended to me: "Finding Flow" by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Yes, quite a mouthful. It's about finding that thing (or those things) in life that make your time spent the most productive, fulfilling, and meaningful. That's my interpretation of what "flow" is, from what I've read. I'm still only about 1/4 of the way through it, so I've got a bit more to go- but It's a great read so far. Encourages those without balance in life to try and find flow, by creating opportunities for yourself and seeking them out.
I've just finished two books by Stephen Clarke, "A Year in the Merde" and "Merde Happens". The author is a Brit journalist who writes about a man named Paul West who lives and works in France, and his books are rather accurate and humorous interpretations of life in France. I could relate, and Clarke's humor is just the thing I need to wind down from a day at work.
I have been spending a lot of time at the library. Mostly looking for books on Southwest France, to ready myself for the Fall. I've found quite a bit so far, and I'm taking notes, so I can take advantage of everything when I arrive. I've already made a semi-permanent itinerary for Paris. I can't wait to go back, not only to see the beautiful country again (quite literally, i'll be in a town of 4,500 people, so i'll be in the country) but to meet new people. I'm ready to start the new chapter of my life. The summer is crawling by, but I'm ready to get going.
Or, rather, I have.
I've been able to calm down and focus a lot more now. I don't know what it was, but something in me (the perfectionist? the neurotic?) was always striving to get everything exactly perfect, so much so that when I messed up even a little bit in one area I'd get down on myself.
It might be remnants from when I had a low self-esteem, but I'm able to manage that now more than ever.
I'm reading a book that Chris recommended to me: "Finding Flow" by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Yes, quite a mouthful. It's about finding that thing (or those things) in life that make your time spent the most productive, fulfilling, and meaningful. That's my interpretation of what "flow" is, from what I've read. I'm still only about 1/4 of the way through it, so I've got a bit more to go- but It's a great read so far. Encourages those without balance in life to try and find flow, by creating opportunities for yourself and seeking them out.
I've just finished two books by Stephen Clarke, "A Year in the Merde" and "Merde Happens". The author is a Brit journalist who writes about a man named Paul West who lives and works in France, and his books are rather accurate and humorous interpretations of life in France. I could relate, and Clarke's humor is just the thing I need to wind down from a day at work.
I have been spending a lot of time at the library. Mostly looking for books on Southwest France, to ready myself for the Fall. I've found quite a bit so far, and I'm taking notes, so I can take advantage of everything when I arrive. I've already made a semi-permanent itinerary for Paris. I can't wait to go back, not only to see the beautiful country again (quite literally, i'll be in a town of 4,500 people, so i'll be in the country) but to meet new people. I'm ready to start the new chapter of my life. The summer is crawling by, but I'm ready to get going.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Being myself.
Why is it that I become a different person when I am talking to an attractive person? It doesn't make much sense, I feel. Like there's some sort of intimidation that I can't overcome, so I feel like I have to put on a mask or something. I can't just "be myself" or "act normal". It bothers me. When I speak to an attractive guy, or even a girl for that matter, I censor myself, somewhat. But I let my guard down more when I'm interacting with a less attractive person. Why is that? What makes me feel more comfortable around homelier people than good-looking people? Is this just a phase? I hope so, because I don't like not being myself. I don't like feeling like I can't say or do what I want in front of someone. But maybe it's just the energy they give off that intimidates me. Maybe if I were blind I wouldn't have this problem. :-/
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About Me
- Madeleine
- Some things I love... -singing my heart out. -learning to cook new dishes. -warm, sunny days and blue skies. -France & French culture. -good company/good discussion. -wine. -philosophy. -theatre. -classical/jazz music. -interior decorating. -designing/new ideas. -running. -biking/rollerblading. -being outdoors. -being me.
